Inlet construction for enclosed vessels

ABSTRACT

An inlet construction especially for vessels which receive molten metal where it is necessary to provide a seal against loss of vacuum or escape of gas. Includes an axially movable tube and spring means urging the tube upwardly. Tube can engage the bottom of a bottom-pour vessel equipped with a sliding-gate-type of closure. Avoids need for tube on bottom of pouring vessel.

United States Patent Inventor James T. Shapland Pittsburgh, Pa. 808,841

Mar. 20, 1969 Mar. 30, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented INLET CONSTRUCTIONFOR ENCLOSED VESSELS 10 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

U.S. Cl .Q

Int. Cl B65b 3/00, B65c 3/00 Field of Search 266/34, 38;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,305,809 12/1942 Maisch285/226 X 2,500,169 3/1950 Ellis 141/383 X 2,558,620 6/1951 Lisota220/86 3,319,979 5/1967 Herold et al... 285/189X 3,479,486 11/1969Marsilio et a1.

Primary Examiner- Raphael H. Schwartz Attorney-Walter P. Wood ABSTRACT:An inlet construction especially for vessels which receive molten metalwhere it is necessary to provide a seal against loss of vacuum or escapeof gas. Includes an axially movable tube and spring means urging thetube upwardly. Tube can engage the bottom of a bottom-pour vesselequipped with a sliding-gate-type of closure. Avoids need for tube onbottom of pouring vessel.

llllllll llllllll Patented Mamh 30, 1971 M/VE/VTUR JAMES 7: SHAPLA/VDChm 1. /64

Attorney lNlLlli'll CONSTRUCTION hOlll ENCLOSED VESSELS This inventionrelates to an improved inlet construction through which liquids can beintroduced to an enclosed vessel.

Although my invention is not thus limited, my inlet construction isparticularly useful as applied to a vessel which receives molten metalfrom a bottom-pour teeming vessel. For example, in a degassing operationfor molten steel, the steel may be teemed from a ladle or tundish into areceiving vessel which is maintained under vacuum. The teeming vesselhas an outlet opening in its bottom wall and a closure mechanism forcontrolling flow of metal through this opening. To maintain the vacuum,it is necessary to provide an enclosed passage between the two Iyessels. A similar need arises where it is desired to exclude air from apouring stream of metal to prevent oxidation, as in teeming metal from aladle into a tundish. Commonly the enclosed passage is in the form of atube which extends downwardly from the teeming vessel into the receivingvessel, or into contact therewith.

It is known-to use closures of the sliding-gate-type on bottom-pourvessels, as shown for example in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,465 orin Grosko application Ser. No. 781,929, filed Dec. 6, l968, of commonownership. This type of closure has a number of advantages over the morecommonly used stopper rods, as explained in my patent. However, thereare problems in equipping such vessels with enclosed pouring tubes.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved inlet constructionapplied to a receiving vessel to furnish an enclosed passage from abottom-pour teeming vessel.

A further object is to provide an inlet construction which furnishes anenclosed passage for use with a sliding gate or other closure on ateeming vessel, yet does not necessitate any special design of closureon the teeming vessel.

A more specific object is to provide an inlet construction whichincludes an enclosed tube mounted on a receiving vessel for axialmovement, and means urging the tube into engagement with the undersideof a teeming vessel.

in the drawing:

The single FIG. is a vertical sectional view of portions of a teemingvessel and a receiving vessel, the latter being equipped with myimproved inlet construction.

The drawing shows portions of a teeming vessel 10 and receiving vessel12, both of which are refractory lined for containing molten metal. Thebottom wall of the teeming vessel has an outlet opening 113 and carriesa nozzle 14 fixed to its underside aligned with the opening. A slidinggate closure member i is mounted beneath the nozzle and has an opening Mwhich can be aligned with the nozzle opening to permit teeming. The gatecan be supported and operated in any desired manner; hence l have notshown the supporting and operating mechanism. The top wall of thereceiving vessel 12 has a metal cover plate 17 and an inlet opening 118through the cover plate and refractory lining.

in accordance with my invention, 1 mount a refractory tube 21 in theopening lb. The tube is axially movable and it has a metal casing 22over the portion which extends upwardly of the vessel wall. I affixlower and upper annular collars 23 and 24 to the cover plate 17 and tothe upper end of the casing 22 respectively. A compression spring 25encircles tube 21 and bears at its ends against the two collars and thusurges the tube upwardly with respect to the vessel. The confrontingfaces of the collars have annular grooves which receive lower and upperannular followers 28 and 29 respectively. An expansible metal bellows 3bis joined at its ends to the two followers and encircles tube 21 withinspring 25. The bellows provides a seal around the outside of tube 21 andprevents loss of vacuum or escape of any special atmosphere used invessel 12. A cylindrical shield 31 rests on the cover plate 17 andsurrounds the spring 25, bellows 3i) and tube 21. The shield has aninlet 32 for admitting cooling air. For vessels not under vacuum or notcontaining any special atmosphere, l can omit the bellows.

Although i show a mechanical spring 25, I could use a pneu-- matic orhydraulic spring.

Collar 24 carries a plate 33 fixed to its upper face. in theconstruction illustrated, the plate carries angle iron guides 34 for thesliding gate closure member 15. Preferably a plurality of holddowns 35are pivoted to the top of the cover plate 17 and are received in notches36 in the side edges of plate 33. The upper end of each holddown carriesa pair of spaced collars 3'7 and 33, nuts 39 holding the upper collar,and a compression spring 40 between said collars. The lower collar 37bears against the upper face of plate 33. The central portion of eachholddown includes a turnbuckle 41 for adjusting the force of its springAll). In some instances 1 may omit the holddowns and rely on the weightof tube 21 to hold it in position. Preferably l mount a plurality ofauxiliary compression springs 42 between plates 17 and 33. Therespective plates carry a plurality of aligned upstanding studs 43 anddepending eyebolts 44 which fit within the springs. The eyebolts carrynuts 45 which bear against the upper ends of the springs and can beadjusted to regulate the force of the springs. When the auxiliarysprings are included, it is possible to dispense with spring 25.

In operation, 1 lower the teeming vessel 10 to a position in which itsoutlet opening l3 is aligned with the inlet opening 18 of the receivingvessel 12. Gate 15 lies between the two guides 34 and abuts the top oftube 21. The compression springs 25 and 42 force the upper end of thetube into close engagement with the gate. Thereafter 1 open the gate topermit molten metal or other liquid to flow from vessel 10 to vessel 12.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my invention affords asimple effective inlet construction for maintaining a sealed passagebetween a teeming vessel and a receiving vessel. Since all parts arelocated on the receiving vessel, it is not necessary to resort to anyspecial design of teeming vessel, and the latter can be equipped withany desired form of closure.

lclaim:

1. In combination:

a refractory lined bottom-pour vessel adapted to contain liquid metaland having a discharge opening in its bottom wall;

a refractory gate slidably mounted on the underside of the bottom wallof said vessel and having an opening adapted to be moved into and out ofalignment with said discharge opening to control teeming of metaltherethrough;

a refractory lined receiving vessel having an inlet opening in its topwall with which said discharge opening may be aligned; and

an inlet construction for protecting the liquid metal from exposure toair as it passes between vessels, said construction comprising:

a refractory tube mounted for axial movement in said inlet opening andhaving a portion extending upwardly of the top wall of said receivingvessel into abutting relation with said gate;

spring means;

spaced-apart means on the top wall of said receiving vessel and on theupwardly extending portion of said tube against which said spring meansbears at its opposite ends to urge said tube upwardly against said gate;and

guides mounted on the top of said tube for slidably receiving said gate.1

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said spring means is inthe form of a compression spring encircling said tube.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which the means against whichsaid spring bears includes lower and upper annular collars encirclingsaid tube and being affixed respectively to the top wall of saidreceiving vessel and to said tube adjacent its upper end.

4. A combination as defined in claim 2 comprising in addition auxiliarysprings urging said tube upwardly with respect to said vessel.

5. A combination as defined in claim I. comprising in addition anexpansible bellows encircling said tube in the space the outside of saidtube.

6. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said spring means is inthe form of a compression spring encircling said tube, the means againstwhich said spring bears includes lower and upper annular collarsencircling said tube and being affixed respectively to the top wall ofsaid receiving vessel and to said tube adjacent its upper end, andcomprising in addition an expansibie bellows encircling said tube withinsaid spring in the space between said collars and furnishing a sealaround the outside of said tube.

7. A combination as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition holddownmeans connected to the top wall of said vessel and to the upwardlyextending portion of said tube to limit upward movement of said tube.

8. The combination, with a receiving vessel having an inlet opening inits top wall, of an inlet construction comprising a tube mounted in saidopening for axial movement and having a portion extending upwardly ofthe top wall of said vessel,

spring means, spaced-apart means on the top wall of said vessel and onthe upwardly extending portion of said tube against which said springmeans bears at its opposite ends to urge said tube upwardly with respectto said vessel, and holddown means to limit upward movement of saidtube, the means on the upwardly extending portion of said tube includinga plate having notches in its side edges, said holddown means includingtumbuckles pivoted to the top wall of said vessel and engaging saidnotches.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8 in which said vessel isrefractory lined and adapted to contain molten metal, and said tube isof a refractory having a metal casing over the portion which extendsupwardly from the top wall of said vessel.

10. A combination as defined in claim 8 comprising in addition acylindrical shield surrounding said tube, and means on said shield foradmitting cooling air.

1. In combination: a refractory lined bottom-pour vessel adapted tocontain liquid metal and having a discharge opening in its bottom wall;a refractory gate slidably mounted on the underside of the bottom wallof said vessel and having an opening adapted to be moved into and out ofalignment with said discharge opening to control teeming of metaltherethrough; a refractory lined receiving vessel having an inletopening in its top wall with which said discharge opening may bealigned; and an inlet construction for protecting the liquid metal fromexposure to air as it passes between vessels, said constructioncomprising: a refractory tube mounted for axial movement in said inletopening and having a portion extending upwardly of the top wall of saidreceiving vessel into abutting relation with said gate; spring means;spaced-apart mEans on the top wall of said receiving vessel and on theupwardly extending portion of said tube against which said spring meansbears at its opposite ends to urge said tube upwardly against said gate;and guides mounted on the top of said tube for slidably receiving saidgate.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said spring meansis in the form of a compression spring encircling said tube.
 3. Acombination as defined in claim 2 in which the means against which saidspring bears includes lower and upper annular collars encircling saidtube and being affixed respectively to the top wall of said receivingvessel and to said tube adjacent its upper end.
 4. A combination asdefined in claim 2 comprising in addition auxiliary springs urging saidtube upwardly with respect to said vessel.
 5. A combination as definedin claim 1 comprising in addition an expansible bellows encircling saidtube in the space between said spaced-apart means and furnishing a sealaround the outside of said tube.
 6. A combination as defined in claim 1in which said spring means is in the form of a compression springencircling said tube, the means against which said spring bears includeslower and upper annular collars encircling said tube and being affixedrespectively to the top wall of said receiving vessel and to said tubeadjacent its upper end, and comprising in addition an expansible bellowsencircling said tube within said spring in the space between saidcollars and furnishing a seal around the outside of said tube.
 7. Acombination as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition holddown meansconnected to the top wall of said vessel and to the upwardly extendingportion of said tube to limit upward movement of said tube.
 8. Thecombination, with a receiving vessel having an inlet opening in its topwall, of an inlet construction comprising a tube mounted in said openingfor axial movement and having a portion extending upwardly of the topwall of said vessel, spring means, spaced-apart means on the top wall ofsaid vessel and on the upwardly extending portion of said tube againstwhich said spring means bears at its opposite ends to urge said tubeupwardly with respect to said vessel, and holddown means to limit upwardmovement of said tube, the means on the upwardly extending portion ofsaid tube including a plate having notches in its side edges, saidholddown means including turnbuckles pivoted to the top wall of saidvessel and engaging said notches.
 9. A combination as defined in claim 8in which said vessel is refractory lined and adapted to contain moltenmetal, and said tube is of a refractory having a metal casing over theportion which extends upwardly from the top wall of said vessel.
 10. Acombination as defined in claim 8 comprising in addition a cylindricalshield surrounding said tube, and means on said shield for admittingcooling air.